From Tom Garba, Yola
Contrary to claims by the authorities that Boko Haram insurgents have been flushed out of their Sambissa Forest stronghold, vigilantes who just returned from the terrorists enclave have insisted that the terrorists are still holding out in the forest.
Recent reports had it that the Nigerian Air Force fighter jets had bombed the Boko Haram insurgents out of the Sambisa forest. but men of the Vigilantes revealed that
But vigilantes who returned from the Sambisa forest told The Dream Daily in Yola, Adamawa State on Wednesday, said the insurgents were still hiding in caves and other fortified structures in areas of the forest that neither themselves nor the military have been able to reach.
Chairman of the Vigilantes Group in Adamawa, Alhaji Muhammadu Usman, said insurgents were still hiding in caves in Sambisa forest and around Gwoza, Madagali and Krichinga, which are border towns between Adamawa and Borno states.
He said to the best of his knowledge no military ground force had entered into the core of the forest.
Usman said they anytime that the Air Force bombed the forest, the insurgents would simply hide inside caves and other fortified structures, hence the bombardment would have little or no effect on them.
Due to the mountainous nature and thickness of the Sambissa forest, Usman suggested that the only way out was to send ground forces into the forest to clear the insurgents.
Expressing optimism over the anti-terror campaign, Usman said that the vigilantes were ready to collaborate with the military to storm the forest, adding that the bombardment by the military had done a great job in reducing the strength of the insurgents encamping in the forest.
“Nobody should say that we have completely wiped out the insurgents from Sambisa forest,” he said.
A female vigilante, Mrs Adisa Tola told our correspondent that she joined the fight against insurgency because she wanted to see peace to return to the north-east region.
She said she inherited the profession of hunting from her late father who was a great hunter in Tola town of Adamawa State.
Adisa said she is bold as a lion adding that she has played great roles in the fight against insurgency as he alleged that the men Vigilantes cannot do the job alone without women.
Adisa said the security situation was getting better, adding that the major task ahead was to storm Sambisa forest, “which the insurgents are still using to coordinate their bombings in the cities and towns.”
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